A Software Maintainability Evaluation Methodology

This paper describes a conceptual framework of software maintainability and an implemented procedure for evaluating a program´s documentation and source code for maintainability characteristics. The evaluation procedure includes use of closed-form questionnaires completed by a group of evaluators. Statistical analysis techniques for validating the evaluation procedure are described. Some preliminary results from the use of this methodology by the Air Force Test and Evaluation Center are presented. Areas of future research are discussed.